Political Tensions Over High-Rise Construction Near Cultural Heritage Site
The ongoing conflict between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government over the construction of high-rise buildings in the “Sewoon District 4” area near Jongmyo Shrine has escalated, drawing the attention of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. On the 10th, Prime Minister Kim visited Jongmyo Shrine alongside individuals who oppose the high-rise construction, stating, “This is not an issue that the Seoul Metropolitan Government can unilaterally push through.” His involvement signals a deepening political rift.
In response to the Prime Minister’s comments, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon suggested, “I suggest a public debate to determine which stance—between the government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government—is the short-sighted one.” With the Seoul mayoral election set as a key battleground in the June 3 local elections next year, political analysts see this as the beginning of a full-blown confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties.
Sewoon Plaza High-Density Redevelopment Debate
The Seoul Metropolitan Government recently announced its decision to redevelop the Sewoon District 4 area, which includes demolishing the 58-year-old Sewoon Plaza and constructing high-rise buildings up to 141.9 meters, along with a nearby park. The previous height restriction for the area was 71.9 meters, but it has now been increased to 141.9 meters. This move has sparked controversy, especially after the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism filed a lawsuit against the Seoul City Council’s revision of ordinances that eased construction regulations around cultural heritage sites.
The Supreme Court ruled on the 6th that the ordinance revision was lawful. However, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young and Korea Heritage Service Director Heo Min visited Jongmyo Shrine on the 7th, the day after the ruling, and stated, “The high-rise buildings will harm the landscape of Jongmyo Shrine,” adding, “We will exhaust all means to stop it.”
Mayor Oh held a briefing in the Sewoon District 4 area on the same day, emphasizing that the area around Jongmyo Shrine had long been neglected and was in a state of ruin. He argued, “We must preserve and enhance the value of Jongmyo Shrine by creating green corridors and reforming the urban spatial structure.”
Prime Minister Kim also visited Jongmyo Shrine on the 10th, publicly criticizing the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s policy. He expressed concern, saying, “If high-rise buildings are constructed right in front of Jongmyo Shrine as the Seoul Metropolitan Government proposes, wouldn’t it block the view from Jongmyo Shrine, make it hard to breathe, and suppress its energy?”
On the same day, Prime Minister Kim posted on Facebook, “The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which recently caused controversy over the Han River Bus project, should listen more carefully to public concerns,” criticizing the city’s policy decisions. The Han River Bus is one of Mayor Oh’s flagship projects.
Democratic Party Launches ‘Mayor Oh Verification Task Force’
Political circles interpret that the Democratic Party is trying to check Mayor Oh in anticipation of the June 3 local elections next year. Both the ruling and opposition parties have already entered preparation mode for next year’s local elections.
Local elections held immediately after presidential elections have often been won by the ruling party. However, the People Power Party believes that, thanks to the government’s October 15 real estate policy designating all of Seoul as a “regulated area” and conservative alliances, they have a high chance of retaining the Seoul mayoral position. The Democratic Party has also effectively accepted Mayor Oh’s candidacy for the local elections as a given and launched a task force to verify “Mayor Oh’s policy failures and personal corruption.”
Prime Minister Kim has been prominently mentioned as one of the Democratic Party’s potential candidates for Seoul mayor. If a public debate between Prime Minister Kim and Mayor Oh materializes, there is analysis that it would allow Prime Minister Kim to consolidate his support base. A ruling party official said, “If Prime Minister Kim and Mayor Oh engage in a public debate, it will be a mega-event.” However, Prime Minister Kim had appeared on broadcaster Kim Ou-joon’s YouTube channel on the 5th and stated, “I don’t think such a situation (of running for Seoul mayor) will arise.”
Within and outside the Seoul Metropolitan Government, there are observations that the development of the Sewoon District 4 will not proceed smoothly since even the Prime Minister has publicly opposed it. A source from the opposition said, “If the plan to develop the slum-like old downtown Seoul with high density, like Tokyo, is derailed, it remains to be seen how the public sentiment in Seoul will react.”